Why digital transformation is key to sector resilience

While technological advancements will never make skilled trades obsolete, digital transformation increasingly shapes the way employees and organizations get things done. Digital tools are unavoidable as they can not only improve efficiency for facility managers but can also help address the skilled labour shortage.

 

The skilled trades need to keep up with an ever-changing digital world while also struggling with other industry challenges. Luckily, several of these industry challenges can be solved through technology and digital transformation, as FacilitiesNet points out, adding that organizations should leverage the correct tools and understand the importance of breaking down old-school silos to create long-term business value.  

 

Increasing performance despite labour shortage

Where employees struggle to perform their daily tasks due to a lack of resources (job vacancies, shrunk budgets) digital training is key in continuing the organizational momentum. Innovative tools can boost performance as critical job-specific information can all be housed under one digital training platform, enabling employees to allocate their time efficiently. Online training also provides people with the flexibility to work at their own pace.

 

Passing on invaluable veteran knowledge

How to manage the Great Retirement is also a key pain point for organisations. Preserving generational knowledge from veterans who have been around for decades has become an essential advantage of adopting technology. Their knowledge obtained through years of experience, learning through mistakes, and dedication cannot be found within any hardcopy manual. But with digital tools, where experienced professionals can create notes, curate collections of information, and bookmark specific sections the path can be paved for employee and organizational success.

 

Investing in tech benefits from the top down 

External pressures such as increasing costs and supply chain disruption have pressure on the skilled trades industry as well. One asset that remains invaluable throughout an ever-changing environment is the people. FacilitiesNet – with reference to an NFPA survey –  highlights that there is a strong desire among professionals to work with innovative, non-traditional tools on the jobsite, and implement technology in the day-to-day job functions. To address these desires, organizations need to invest in digital tools. 

 

Streamlining daily tasks and increasing workplace collaboration benefit organizations from the top down. Not only do digital tools improve accuracy and safety, but they also help resolve inspection disputes, provide quick and simple access to standards, and increase employee and customer confidence. With workers on the jobsite and in the office, communication and collaboration remain continuous through digital notes, sharing capabilities, and live code updates ensuring all the ability to work from the most updated source of information.

 

Technology is a strategic benefit 

Over time, ownership changes alongside functionality and use, and still buildings are constructed for longevity. Technology is a strategic benefit throughout the lifecycle of a building or facility. Within digital tools, historical building data and notes from the original construction team are all at the fingertips of the current tradespeople working on the project. Workers or building managers can more seamlessly answer their own questions and have a future-proof reference guide accessible when it comes time for renovations and functionality changes to a space.

 

Transformative advancements across industries are rooted in technology adoption. Digital transformation is taking traditional industries such as skilled trades and turning them into sustainable and resilient sectors built for the long term. Many of today’s industry challenges are being solved through digitalization efforts adopted by entire workforces.

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